Front Strut Install Tricks?

Kurt Sunday

SCCoA Member
My SC has been on jack stands for 2 months....this weekend I finally got around to getting a spring compressor and assembling the front struts with Koni inserts and Eibach 1.5 lowering springs.

Problem is that I can't fit the new assembly back in the car.

Does anyone know the trick? Do I need to compress the spring for the install too?

Thanks!
 
I believe so, it was long ago that I did mine...but if I remember correctly you have to compress to fit back in...XXXXXXXXXXX you'll think twice before doing it again unless you are Dan Weller lol

Might want to look at trying to drop the lower suspension a bit more if it is possible I dont remember...anything is better than those damn spring compressors.
 
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I usually remove the inner LCA bolt, lower the LCA a bit, bolt the shock into the upper mount and the LCA, and then use a small jack to compress the shock enough to get the inner LCA bolt back in.

If you mark the inner bolt adjuster, and put it back in the same place, you can probably get away without an alignment.

Hope this makes sense. ;)
 
Also....

Somtimes you can get away with just removing the sway bar end link on the side that you're working on to get the LCA to drop enough to get the shock back on, without touching the inner LCA bolt, but not often. You might also have to remove the upper control arm bolt, to get it drop enough. Again, use a small jack to compress the shock enough to bolt everything back together.
 
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Ok I remember it did not fit back in I got a nice big bar and used it to push down on the lower Control arm
 
Thanks guys! I try it again this weekend.

I can tell you this.... do not waste your time finding Koni yellow paint and painting the struts the DIY assembly process just beats the crap out of them.
 
The shock mount has to be in the correct orientation with respect to the shock itself or you can't get the assembly back into place. At this point your best bet is to disassemble the shock assembly...place the upper shock mount in the car and then install the shock on the lower control arm and position the spring properly then use a jack to compress the lower arm until you can get the center bolt on properly at the top of the shock as has been indicated above.
 
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